Sand eliminating mounting for sprinkler head spindles



April 9, 1935. 1,996,899

SAND ELIMINATING MOUNTING FOR SPRINKLER HEAD SPINDLES w. A. BUCKNER Filed July 7, 1935 INVENTOR Wm. A. Buckner Patented Apr. 9, 1935 UNITED ST SAND ELIMINA'I'ENG MOUNTING FOR SPRINKLER HEAD SPiNDLES William A, Buckner, Fresno, Calif.

Application July '7, 1933, Serial No. 679,350 I 2 Claims; (01. 285-.9)

This invention relates to, sprinklers of the slow rotation type, and'parti'cularly to the mounting of the sprinkler head spindle in its support, for operating conditions where a considerable amount of sand and other foreign matter is forced through the piping along with the water and into the sprinkler.

'- My improved sprinkler bearing, for mounting has been particularly designed for use in connection with the portable overhead irrigation systems now widely used in various parts of this country, where the suction end of the pump is disposed in a creek, irrigation ditch, or the like,

without any screen about the intake, and from which silt, sand, etc.,'is sometimes pumped in considerable quantities into the piping and through the sprinkler. The ordinary sprinkler spindle mounting is entirely unsatisfactory for use under such conditions, due to the sand and other gritty matter getting into the bearing and around the spindle, not only subjecting the'sarne to undue wear, but causing it to slow down and sometimes stop entirely, unless the retractive drive unit is continually adjusted or changed.

Also in systems of. the above character the sprinklers are frequently disposed so. that the spindles are 11Gb vertical and thesprinkler heads jerk or whip around unless they are perfectly balanced and free to rotate' I It is therefor'ethe main object of my invention to provide what may be termed a sand eliminating bearing for sprinkler head spindles, so arranged that sand and the like is positively kept away from the bearing and from about the spindle and is discharged through the nozzles of the sprinklers. The hearing will therefore last much longer under adverse conditions than is now the case, besides improving the efficiency of action of the sprinkler. Also the parts of the improved mounting and bearing structure are such that any wearing parts can be easily replaced whenever necessary.

I have also provided for a better balance of the sprinkler head than has previously been thecase so that the head will turn smoothlyand easily even if the spindle is not perfectly vertical.

A further object of the invention is to produce 5 In the drawing similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several viewsz' .Fig, 1 is a side elevation of acomplete sprinker unit.

Fig. 2 is a vertical enlarged section ing structure of the unit.

Referring now more particularly to the charesters of reference on the draw i ng,the sprinkler head comprises relatively long andshort diametrally opposed nozzle arms I and 2,'the latter being provided with a slow motion control unit 3,p referably the same as shown in my Patent No, 1,910, 678, dated May 23, 1933; the sprinkler head asja of the beara,

'wholebeing also circumferentially of the same type andgeneral dimensionsas shown in said patent, though this is not essential. 'To 'counter-' balance the arm l to compensate for the weight of. the unit 3 whichisdisposed intermediate the ends of the arm 2, said arm 5 is formed with a depending weights of suitable shape towardits outer end.

The arm i terminates in a short depending head portion 5 from the side of which opposite to the arm I, the arm 2 projects. A depending tubular spindle is removably but tightly screwed into the head 5. The upper portion of this spindle turnably engages the bore of the main bearing body 7 throughout the length of the latter, said body being centrally threaded on its lower end. Removably screwed onto said body and depending therefrom is a sleeve nut or coupling member 8, and forms what I housing.

A short distance below the body I the spindle is. formed with an outwardly projecting flange 9 thereabout which forms a support for a bearing and seal washer ill of leather or the like which is disposed between and engages said flange and the bottom of the bearing member 7. The spindleprojects some distance below said flange and adjacent its lower end is snugly engaged by a felt washer H which is supported on an inwardly projecting retaining flange V 112 formed in the housing 8. The washer I! is engaged on top and removably held in place by a removable retaining ring !3 screwed into the housing 8 from its upper end and surrounding the spindle with a clearance fit. I

The space about the spindle between the retainer l3 and the bottom of the bearing! forms a chamber for lubricant, as shown at M, which lubricant is introduced when necessary through a standard pressure gun fitting 55 on the outside ofthe housing 8. The upper end portion I5 of the spindle, above its threaded connection with the head 5, is of reduced size so thatit is spaced term the sand eliminator from the bore of said head and is freely open to the arm I, said upper end of the spindle lying adjacent the upper end of the head portion 5 and the top of the adjacent end of the arm 2, Adjacent said upper end the spindle is provided with circumferentially extending slots l1 forming astrainer for large particles of sand, etc., and preventing the samefrom passing into said arm and possibly interfering with the operation of the rotation control unit 3; The housing, 8 is tapped below the flange l2, as shown at l8, for connection to the standard pipe l9 on which the spindle as a whole is mounted and from which the water passing through the sprinkler is supplied from the main horizontal pipe.-

In assembling the-structure the washer II is: first mounted in the housing 8 and is saturated with suitable lubricating compound. The retaining ring I3 is then inserted and screwed down tight; The washer, I0 is placed on the spindle, the bearing 1 slid into place on the latter, and said spindle is then screwed tightly into'the head 5. The spindle is then slid into place in the housing 8 and through the washer II from the upper end of saidhousing. The body 1 is then screwed down into the housing sufiiciently so that the bottom of the spindle is substantially flush with the bottom of the washer,

ll. Lubricant is forced into the chamber I5 so asnot only to completely fill the same but so that said lubricant will be forced up between the 'mainbearing and spindle, and about the washers and adjacent parts so as to maintain them in 'a thoroughlylubricated and water sealing condi-- tion. V

The sprinkler is then ready for operation and no matter howniuch water pressure may be used no water will pass through or around the lower felt washer into the lubricating chamber,

- ture from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bearing structure for a rotary spindle comprising a bearing body in which the spindle is turnably mounted, a housing depending from the body, and adapted for connection'to a source of water supply, the spindle projecting, into the housing, a flange on and about the spindle below the body,a yieldable seal and washer ring resting 'on the flange and engaging the bottom of r the body,an absorbent packing ring snugly engaging the spindle below the flange, and means in the housing separate from the flange retaining said last named ring against displacement.

V 2. A bearing structure for a rotary spindle comprising a bearing body in which the spindle is turnably mounted, a housing depending from and removably mounted on the body, and adapted for connection to a source of water supply, the spindle projecting into the housing, a'flange on p and about the spindle below the body, a yieldable seal washer ring resting on the flange and engagingthe bottom of the body, an absorbent yieldable' packing ring snugly engaging the spindle below the flange, a flange in and about the housing on which said last named ring rests, and a retaining ring removably mounted in the housing above and adjustably engaging the upper surface of said last named ring. v

WILLIAM'A. BUCKNER. 

